Wood Doctor,
It may also have something to do with the state you live in… each state writes their own set of laws regarding what insurance companies can, or cannot do. Any policy I’ve ever had states something to the effect that the insurance company will not cover loss due to owner negligence, improper installation or improper maintenance of <whatever> (although Iowa state law forbids them to deny liability claims by third persons for those reasons). Basically what that means is, if I have a visitor at my home and I run into their car with my lawn tractor, and the insurance company determines I haven’t properly maintained the brakes on my tractor, they can choose to deny any damage claims to the tractor itself but are required by law to cover damage to the visitors car.
So you see, there’s no justification for them to drop me or raise my rates because I self-installed a self-“modified” wood burning appliance because the policy (in a strict sense) doesn’t cover any loss that can be attributed to it anyway… unless I add a rider to the policy, which would cost me dearly I’m sure. Not all states allow that type of “exclusion of coverage” to be written into a policy… each state is different. Even if I purchased a brand new appliance and had it professionally installed, and then had a fire that the investigator(s) determined was caused by improper installation or maintenance (say a chimney fire) the insurance company could legally choose to deny the claim (in Iowa). Companies more apt to deny “questionable” claims don’t sell many policies in Iowa… people learn who treats you right, and who doesn’t.
addendum: Oh, and by the way... I quit buying insurance of any sort several years ago (except insurance required by law, such as liability). I sat down one day and added up what i had spent insuring my own stuff over the years and determined it was, without any doubt, the biggest rip-off racket in this country. The only possible way it I could ever recoup my expense would be in the event of a total loss of every single thing I own all in one swoop... and the chance of that happening is way to slim to worry about. Making the occasional claim because someone stole your lawn mower, or because the toilet backed up will never get your money back... and only causes the insurance company to raise your rate, further guaranteeing you will never get your money's worth. Insurance companies have figured out how to get rich by playing your fears... it's no wonder they and politicians rub each others backs.
It may also have something to do with the state you live in… each state writes their own set of laws regarding what insurance companies can, or cannot do. Any policy I’ve ever had states something to the effect that the insurance company will not cover loss due to owner negligence, improper installation or improper maintenance of <whatever> (although Iowa state law forbids them to deny liability claims by third persons for those reasons). Basically what that means is, if I have a visitor at my home and I run into their car with my lawn tractor, and the insurance company determines I haven’t properly maintained the brakes on my tractor, they can choose to deny any damage claims to the tractor itself but are required by law to cover damage to the visitors car.
So you see, there’s no justification for them to drop me or raise my rates because I self-installed a self-“modified” wood burning appliance because the policy (in a strict sense) doesn’t cover any loss that can be attributed to it anyway… unless I add a rider to the policy, which would cost me dearly I’m sure. Not all states allow that type of “exclusion of coverage” to be written into a policy… each state is different. Even if I purchased a brand new appliance and had it professionally installed, and then had a fire that the investigator(s) determined was caused by improper installation or maintenance (say a chimney fire) the insurance company could legally choose to deny the claim (in Iowa). Companies more apt to deny “questionable” claims don’t sell many policies in Iowa… people learn who treats you right, and who doesn’t.
addendum: Oh, and by the way... I quit buying insurance of any sort several years ago (except insurance required by law, such as liability). I sat down one day and added up what i had spent insuring my own stuff over the years and determined it was, without any doubt, the biggest rip-off racket in this country. The only possible way it I could ever recoup my expense would be in the event of a total loss of every single thing I own all in one swoop... and the chance of that happening is way to slim to worry about. Making the occasional claim because someone stole your lawn mower, or because the toilet backed up will never get your money back... and only causes the insurance company to raise your rate, further guaranteeing you will never get your money's worth. Insurance companies have figured out how to get rich by playing your fears... it's no wonder they and politicians rub each others backs.
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